A violent suspect who was on the run has been arrested in Shelby County.

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Police have actively been searching for 37-year-old Ronnie Palmer since Tuesday night.

Palmer is a registered sex offender.

On Monday, police said he seriously beat his girlfriend in front of several young children.

"(There were) several lacerations to her face and to her head to the point where she had to have plastic surgery," said Maj. Jason Rice with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.

Police said Palmer repeatedly beat his girlfriend with a vase following an argument at a Shelbyville home.

"They end up at the hospital. He's actually being admitted as well for lacerations to his hand caused from breaking the object over her," said Rice.

Rice said Palmer told his girlfriend to lie about her injuries, but it wasn't long before a nurse got suspicious.

"I believe he realizes that police are coming to the hospital and therefore flees the hospital and avoids apprehension from us at that point in time," said Rice.

Police said Palmer ran to an apartment complex fairly close to the hospital.

April Stodgill, who lives in one of the apartments, saw him coming.

"Why is he here? Did he kill somebody? I mean, what happened? Because he came straight from the hospital. He's covered in blood," said Stodgill. "It's something you would see on a movie. I went upstairs and made my kids leave."

Detectives believe Palmer chose to go there because it is where his daughter lives.

Stodgill said she's seen him around before.

"He is really a calm nice person, he plays with my kids," said Stodgill. "He's not one that would hurt anyone. That's why we're all puzzled by this, because he's not like that."

When police arrived, Palmer was no where to be found, but they said he turned himself in late Tuesday afternoon.

"I hope the girl does make it and that the family does work things out. But in a situation like this, it's not one where you can pick up the pieces easy from," said Stodgill.

Palmer is going to be charged with assault.

His girlfriend was released from the hospital Tuesday after receiving several surgeries.